See Rock City

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Prince George's First Official Photos Break With Tradition

by

August 20, 2013 8:15 AM

Prince George and his parents, in the baby's first "official" photo (taken by his grandfather).

Michael Middleton/

For all you royal watchers:

"Prince
William and the Duchess of Cambridge have bypassed professional
photographers and chosen family snapshots for the first official images
of their new son, Prince George," .
"Royal officials on Tuesday
released photos of Kate holding the swaddled baby while standing beside
William — and in one image, the couple's cocker spaniel, Lupo, [and
retriever, Tilly]. The pictures were taken by Kate's father, Michael
Middleton, in the family's backyard. The casual images are a departure
from the royal tradition of hiring professional photographers for baby
portraits."

, "some royal watchers were
disappointed that the first photos released of Prince George failed to
show his face and were not of a professional quality. But the decision
to eschew tradition for a more informal approach was seen as true to
form for William and Kate, both 31, who have tried to break away from
royal traditions of rigid formality, be it by changing diapers
themselves or William driving his family away from the hospital."
But that "renowned photographer Terry O'Neill said he thought the pictures were 'absolutely charming.' "
The prince — , His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge — was born July 22. He's third in line to the crown.

In a second "first" photo of Prince George,
the family's dogs joined in. Tilly, a retriever, is to the Duchess of
Cambridge's right. Lupo, a cocker spaniel, is beside the duke.